Video circulating online appears to show the moment Iranian missiles hit an airbase in Jordan, killing two American service members. Another remains missing after the Friday attack. And another U.S. service member was killed in Iraq on Saturday, reflecting how troops face lethal risks without being deployed into Iran.
U.S. gas prices jumped to an average of $4 a gallon again Monday, and benchmark Brent crude rose above $90 a barrel, further fueling a global energy crisis sparked by the conflict.
US launches ninth night of Iran strikes
The U.S. military’s Central Command said Monday’s strikes targeted “Iranian military command centers, air defense and coastal surveillance sites, maritime capabilities, missile and drone launch sites and communications networks.”
Iranian authorities on Sunday said at least 50 people have been killed and 517 wounded in the latest rounds of U.S. strikes. Since the war began on Feb. 28, 17 U.S. service members have been killed.
The U.S. military said the latest service member was killed in Iraq on Saturday during the “controlled detonation” of a downed Iranian drone.
“We hit them very hard again tonight,” Trump said. “And we did that in honor” of the soldiers killed.
Another vessel is ablaze in the strait as Iran targets tankers
As the strikes began, a vessel caught fire early Monday in the Strait of Hormuz after being hit by a projectile near the coastline of Oman, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. The crew abandoned the vessel, which was adrift and still ablaze hours later, the UKMTO said.
The route around Oman has been the one the U.S. military has encouraged ships to travel to avoid Iran’s control. The Guard later claimed it was targeting tankers in the strait.
US bombing of Iran expands as American troops killed and Tehran retaliates
The United States targeted Iran with a new round of airstrikes early Monday after announcing the death of another American service member, hitting around a northwestern city believed to be home to underground missile bases. Iran responded by attacking Bahrain, home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet, and Kuwait.
Step by step, the U.S. and Iran have inched closer to all-out war. Last month’s interim deal meant to permanently end the fighting has crumbled. Traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has largely stalled. Both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied on by millions of people.
Meanwhile, benchmark Brent crude rose Monday above $90 a barrel, further fueling a global energy crisis sparked by the conflict. An average gallon of regular gasoline in the U.S. rose to $4, putting more pressure on American wallets ahead of midterm elections this fall.
The Associated Press
